Speaker: No talk of letting exiled lawmakers in

Posted: March 9, 2011 - 6:31am

JUNEAU — With the legislative session half over, there’s been no talk of letting two exiled House Republican lawmakers back into the majority caucus.

House Speaker Mike Chenault says he told Reps. Kyle Johansen, of Ketchikan, and Charisse Millett, of Anchorage, that the caucus would begin talking about whether to let them back into the fold once members began raising the idea with him. So far, he says, those conversations haven’t taken place.

Johansen and Millett left the caucus late last year following an organizational dispute. The caucus, which includes some Democrats, decided before session started not to readmit them.

Chenault says the two have been contributing members of the Legislature through their committee and subcommittee assignments. Both have also sponsored legislation.